Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-25

q conference with his wife and with her
earnest concurrence, resolved to take to
desired it or not; but others, whose in
were fated to come into the affairs
OF the young wanderer, for the early
breakfast had scarcely been partsken OF
next day, when, to the CONSERVATION of
all, there appeared in the farm kitchen
the smock-frocked yokel, accompanied
by Corporal Cutters, of the r. W. E. L.
VI. o. Regiment, and rural constable.
The two former had met at roadside
tavern; and the corporal, on hearing the
boor detailing, with much exsggeratiop
and borse-isue the episode Of the
discovery in the loft, and that there was
boy and q dog in the case. never
doubted WHO the wanderer was, and in
spired by the nope of reward, had fol-
loved the treil ST once.
"My eye." he exclaimed on seeing
Dick; "ycu do look like ghost down on
it's luck"
"Now. what may you want, my mani"
asked Farmer Mopps, pausing with 8
tankard in hand.
'Only that ere young cove" replied
the corporal, cycling with malice and
triumph the shrinking Dick!
"Why-and for what?"
"Punishmen.! He has oolted-mizzled
deserted the Queens service, that is
all"
ga deserter-this child" exclaim ed
the farmers buxom wife, starting up.
"PreciselY. Cnild-he's one Of the
DEVILS own kind, that's wot he is; and he
must come along with us-double quick.
tool" he added, with q glance OF appeal
to the tell stolid-viseged constable.
All the children now shrieked and
yelled, believing that Dick and his dog too
were to be done to death, as deserters.
"Lookee here" said the bluff farmer.
81 want none of your larks, my young
fellow. This is all stuff; or if little
money"
"Money won't do notniDe!" said the
stripping corporal, adopting bullying
tone; che must go into the custody Of this
'ere constable till we gets suitable
h'escort 20 'eadqusrters
"And what msy the penalty be for 8
boy like this giving you the slip?"
Changing, maybe; and too good for
him." said the corporal with grin, while
the cries of the children were heard again,
TO his grest delight.
81 want none Of your chat, you young
csd!" said the farmer, assuming bis hat
and ample crest coat. "Where is the
boy to go TOT" he asked, turning to the
constable.
"Back to Woodstock, sir. It must be,
as the corporal Gays it,"
Dicks heart sank. lie thought OF Mr..
Plsntagenet Pugwash, and Pugwash only.
"John," cried the farmers wife, s'have
the horse put to the dog-cart, go back
with the boy to the town, and see sd emo
Of this fOlly-for Jolly it must be-" she
added, with hostile glance ST CUTTER.
SO in ten minutes more Dick found
himself, like one in dream, but comfort
ably tucked up III warm rug, being
bowled bsck through the keen frosty air
to Woodstock, with Bingo between his
knees and the corporal and constable
seated behind him-a proximity to the
civil power by no means TO the taste OF
the Whitechspel warrior. Farmer Mopps
drove rapidly and Dick soon saw tue
tower of the old ChsDtry Church, and
heard its pretty peal of bells-ssw sgain
the streets, the toWn hall with it's piszzs,
and the place from which he had effected
mis- escape, as il seemed now in vain.
Now Dick had heard OF terrible things
being done to deserters-and he wasIone!
He might be shot perhaps-blown from 8
gun. What had he not read Of in the
tales Of war spd terror published for the
behoof OF boys?
He had seen sn eDgraVing-WhO has not
seen it?-of deserter who declined to
n 10 f@lG
before a dreadful platoon Of musketry,
with his dog rearing against BIN, to be
shot also-just as Bngo would do in that
supreme moment; and Dick almost wept
as he thought of his own demise in this
fashion, before squad of the r w. F L
W. o. commanded by the inexorsble Cor
porsl Cutters.
But few things in this world happen
exactly in the way we expect them
to do.
TIE farmer asked to see a Justice Of
the peace. He wss told that one was
sitting in court now-P1gwash, as Dicks
"prophetic soul'' feared-and he was
lugged, rather than conducted, by the
Corporal into the justice room sgaip, and
lifting up his eyes TO the dreaded bench,
he ssw, not the grotesque and plebiaD-
looking soapboiler in the central chair
thereof, but the gentlemanly presence,
suave and pleasant face of Sir Brisco
Brsybrooke. with his bushy eyebrows
and snowy white mustache.
"Dick!" he exclaimed, "Dick Talbot
what the deuce is this? Where Is the
what is the matter?
Where have you been hiding yourself all
this time, you young rogu' ?''
For days and nights Dick had never
had his clothes Off, and their eo6den
aspect gave him rather ieplorable look
lust Their.
His story was soon told.
"Leave the matter to me-" ssid the
Baronet. corporal, you may GO, but
send here Sergeant Hawksley. shall ar
range all this"
And SO il was duly arranged by the in
fuepce, advice and money OF Sir Brisco;
and instead OF being handed over, as he
feared, to the tender mercies
Corporal Albert Edwerd Gut
ters, Dick found himself being
driven homeward that evening in the we'll
hung carriage Of the friendly baronet,
aud the present end Ut his visions of mil
itsry glory.
Great was the Joy OF Melanie at the
sudden restoration OF the wanderer, her
''lost boy" as she called him; but this
new debt Of gratitude to Sir Brisco Bray
brooke was source Of perplexitY to her,
lessened, however. just then by the for
tn ate absence Of her uncle, who would
have made it reason for indulgipg in
his usual taunts. advice and the urgence